Obama's Afghanistan War

Barack Obama was able to garner early support throughout the Democratic Primaries because of his early and consistent opposition to the Bush Iraqi invasion. With 70% of the general American population opposed to the continued occupation of Iraqi, and higher numbers among Democrats, it was a key issue in Mr. Obama's early lead in some key States which thrust him into an insurmountable lead. Democrats in the liberal wing of the Party voted for Mr. Obama in overwhelming numbers because of his statements during the debates that he would remove American Troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking the office of President of the United States. Although President Obama has now issued a time table to remove a majority of American Troops from Iraq within 19 months, he is still committing a substantial number of troops to semi-permanent placement in Iraq. This is not why the American People and especially the Democratic Party voted for Mr. Obama, and the left is feeling betrayed.

Aside from his half hearted attempt to placate a faction of the Democratic Party that is opposed to the continued occupation of Iraq, Mr. Obama is issuing policies that will expand the United States Military role in Afghanistan. As a Harvard Graduate and a student at Columbia University, Mr. Obama should be very aware of the history of Afghanistan and of the Afghanistan people's ability to fend off occupations by world powers. With their tribal structure, formidable terrain, religious fervor and ever changing allegiances Afghanistan has managed to thwart and defeat many invading enemies throughout history. Although the Reaganites would have you believe that the Soviet Union collapsed solely due to the policies of Reagan, it is historically clear that the Afghanistan Invasion and Occupation by the Soviet Union took a devastating toll on the Soviet Union.

Committing more US Troops to Afghanistan not only continues a bad Republican Bush Policy but opens up the Obama Administration to another foreign quagmire to deal with in this time of National Economic Emergency. It is obvious that the Bush Policies of invading and occupying Iraq and Afghanistan were driven by profits generated by the privatization of Military Support Companies who were making money by the truckloads from no-bid contracts issued by the Bush Regime to Corporations that were "friendly" to the Administration.

Mr. Obama must explain to the American what are we to gain by the expansion of Military operations in Afghanistan and what cost is America willing to pay. Before the Bush decision to invade Iraq, it was contained by American surveillance, inspections and no-fly zones and was ostracized by the World Community. This was a very effective policy in keeping the government of Saddam Hussein on a short leash. By isolating Afghanistan the same can be accomplished without putting American Blood and Treasure at risk in a continuing war of attrition against a people who will not concede. No matter what puppet government the United States is able to place in Kabul, the tribal structure and antiquated thinking of the people of Afghanistan will never acquiesce to the occupation of their territory by any foreign invader.

Mr. Obama was elected on a platform of change, yet he continues to propagate some of the worst of the Republican Bush Policies including retaining the Bush Secretary of Defense. With less than 100 days in office President Obama is feeding a quickly growing dissatisfaction among the Progressives of the United States by not changing the policy of occupation of Sovereign Nations by the Bush Administration. Rightly or wrongly a lot of Americans feel that the wasted money during the Bush Administration used to invade and occupy these countries are a cause of the current economic collapse, and right or wrong, American can ill afford to continue this military adventurism as it tries to resurrect a dying economy that is forcing Americans from their homes, jobs and hopes for the future.

Using the money to isolate Afghanistan and protect our boarders would be a better expenditure of American wealth and would save the innocent blood of our Military Personnel. By redirecting the money used to occupy and increase the size of the force in Afghanistan to real boarder security, customs inspections, and immigration scrutiny, the US would stimulate the American Economy instead of flushing American money into the sands of Afghanistan.